The Bet - Chapter 46 (Tuesday – week 7 Part 5 of 9)

The Bet
by Karen Singer

Chapter 46 (Tuesday – week 7 Part 5 of 9)

Tom Robinson took the stairs instead of the elevator. It wasn’t for exercise reasons, it was just that he was trying to delay a bit going down to talk with Chad – or was it Sissy – and Robin. He had heard the most outrageous things about Chad-Sissy yesterday. And something about pictures of Chad and Derek (of all people) out on a date together – including a picture of them kissing! He had refused to even see any of those pictures. He knew Derek fairly well, at least he thought he did, and Derek wasn’t any kind of homosexual – as far as he knew.
All too soon he reached the hallway where they were working. All too soon he arrived at Chad’s cubicle. “Chad… I mean, Sissy.”
Chad turned at the unexpected voice and was surprised to see his boss there. “Hi Tom,” he replied. “What’s happening?”
Instead of answering, Tom called over top of the wall, “Robin! Get over here so I can talk to you two together.”
Robin hurried over, wondering what Tom would want now.
Tom looked between the two of them. “Look,” he said, “I know you two haven’t been doing much of anything lately. So I’ve got good news for you. That contract we were hoping to get got approved today, so I need you two to start working on it right away. I’ll email you everything we have so far.” He looked at Chad. “I know you’re going to be away for a week on vacation, but that’s still a few weeks away, so just make sure that Robin won’t have any problems while you’re gone.”
But Robin wasn’t all that thrilled about what was going on. “You mean you want us to work together on this thing again? Like the last project?”
Tom nodded. “You got it. You’ve both got nothing much to do, and besides, it was pretty obvious from your last collaboration that you two do your best work together. Plus, the client is in kind of a hurry for this.”
Robin shook her head. “But I can handle this by myself. There’s no need to have both of us on it.”
Tom shook his head. “No, you’re both sitting around doing nothing, and I want to see input from both of you! Got it?” Tom wasn’t sure why Robin had wanted to run by herself with this one. It made no sense. He knew the two of them were friends and worked well together. “I’ll email you two the details as soon as I get back to my desk. Any questions?” Both Robin and Chad shook their heads. “Good! See you later then.”
Robin watched Tom walking back up the hallway. When he was out of earshot, she let out a small curse. “Dammit! Of all the lousy luck! Now what am I supposed to do?” She looked at Chad. “Shit!” she said. “I was really hoping to avoid having anything to do with you anymore. And now that’s all out the window. Shit! I’m not going to like this one bit! And I hope you don’t either!” Then she turned and walked out on him.
Chad stared after her. He could understand why she wanted to avoid him. Heck, the way she had been acting for the last two days, he wanted to avoid her too! And now Tom was practically throwing them together. They had no choice but to work together. As much as he was looking forward to this new project, he was also very worried about how it was going to work out between him and Robin.
Robin stared angrily at her computer screen. She was being forced to work with the damn… pervert! The idiot! Why couldn’t Tom have let her handle this one by herself? She could do it – easily! Just like all the other projects she had done. Now what was she going to do? Was it possible to do this project without seeing or talking to him? Much? Unfortunately, she knew the answer to that one was a big fat no! Ugh! She wasn’t going to enjoy this one little bit. And personally, she felt that, if she wasn’t going to enjoy it, then she really hoped that he wouldn’t enjoy it either. In fact, he didn’t deserve to enjoy it one little bit! In fact… She was reminded of the things that Mel had tried to convince her of at lunch today. She had pretty much turned Mel down flat! But now? As much as she hated to admit it, maybe she should reconsider Mel’s offer. Maybe. Ugh! She didn’t want to do this… but…
Just to test the waters – so to speak – she opened up her email program and typed an email to Mel.

Mel didn’t get Robin’s email till she finished with her next client. She was surprised to see it only because Robin had turned her down during lunch. Robin had been cordial about it, but she had simply been determined not to be drawn into the “games” between her and Sissy. But now, there was an email from Robin when she least expected it. Curious, Mel opened and read it.

Dear Mel,

Unfortunately, circumstances have arisen forcing me to work closely on a new project with Sissy. If I have to be saddled working with him, then I’m not going to enjoy it at all. And if I’m not going to enjoy it, then I don’t see any reason why he should enjoy it either! As much as I don’t like the idea of it, I may have to take you up on your offer!

Robin

Mel was astonished – to say the least! And her excitement was growing too. It was almost more than she could hope for – she thought. She knew Robin was still going to be very reluctant about everything, so she decided to play it safe with her first bit of advice. She typed her email:

Hi Robin,

I think the first thing you should do is to make it clear to Sissy that no matter what your boss thinks the situation is, you are the one who is actually in charge. Fully! Put him in his place and keep him there. If you have any misgivings about this, just remember that he’s nothing but a sissy. Take charge!

Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask you earlier if he has adequately demonstrated his sissy voice for you yet?”

As always, feel free to call or email me,
Mel

Robin got Mel’s email only seconds after Mel had sent it. For once, she was looking forward to hearing from Mel – as much as she hated to admit it. The email was shorter than she would have liked, but she read it with great interest. Take charge? Put him in his place and keep him there? Any misgivings? Misgivings? Mel had to be kidding! All Robin had to do was to remember him in his silly sissy baby dress, sitting in a highchair, and covered in baby food to wipe away any misgivings she may have. Plus there was the fact that he had pissed her off earlier today over not apologizing properly. He had tried to get away with things – like a child! Mel was right! Who should be in charge? Certainly not Sissy!
She read the part about his sissy voice. Only then did she remember that she had gotten a tiny taste of it earlier when he had finally done his apology correctly, but mostly, she had ignored and dismissed it. But… thinking about it certainly brought to mind some interesting ideas!
She noticed another email come in, but this one was from Tom. Obviously the specs for the new project. She ignored it completely and got up from her seat to go see Sissy.

Chad was just opening up the email from Tom when Robin marched back into his cubicle.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Robin said immediately, “I’m in charge of this project, not you! You’ll do what I tell you, when I tell you, and nothing else! Got that?”
Chad’s mouth hung open in surprise. “Um… If that’s what you want,” he replied, totally unsure of Robin’s mood.
“Isn’t that what I just said I want… idiot?” Robin yelled back forcefully.
This time, Chad was a bit more startled. “Uh… yeah, sure,” he replied.
Robin shook her head. She wasn’t sure of his attitude toward her at all. She had to put him in his place and keep him there. Let him know just how serious she was – as well as just what his place would have to be around here from now on. But to go about it… She smiled. “Just so long as you understand.”
Chad nodded eagerly. “Yeah, sure, I understand. You want to be in charge of this one.”
Robin wanted to hit him, but all she did was to smile at him instead. He didn’t really get it at all. She didn’t want to be just in charge of this project. If she was going to be stuck working anywhere near him from now on, then it was going to be on her terms completely and not his! Almost sweetly she said, “Do me a favor please.”
“Sure, anything,” Chad replied, trying to stay on her good side. She was actually being nice for a change!
“Show me your little apology again.”
“Now?”
“Of course now!” Robin replied a bit more forcefully. “Didn’t I just say that’s what I wanted you to do?”
Instead of replying, Chad quickly got up from his seat and pushed his chair back to give himself more room.
“Not there,” Robin told him quickly. “Back out in the hallway again!” She almost added, “where you belong,” but she stopped herself before she could say it.
Chad didn’t like having to go back out to the hallway to do it again. What if someone happened to come by and see him? But with a little look of wariness, he went. Again he looked both ways before he began to make sure nobody was watching, then he dipped into his curtsey. He stood up again putting his feet together and clasping his hands in front of him. “I’m sorry Robin that I didn’t do exactly what you told me to do yesterday,” he said in his sissy voice. “I promise not to give you any more trouble and to do whatever you say from now on.” Then he quickly repeated his curtsey for her one more time. He wanted to move from the center of the hallway, but since she had made him do it over and over again earlier, then he was afraid to move.
Robin looked up and smiled. “That was very sweet,” she said. “Now tell me, do you mean it? Do you really mean that you won’t give me any more trouble and that you’ll do exactly what I want from now on?”
Without thinking, Chad dropped a little curtsey before he spoke. “Of course I mean it,” he replied in his girly voice.
Robin’s smile gained a touch more wickedness. “That’s good,” she said. “So that was your… sissy voice?” she asked.
Chad nodded, and started walking back toward her again. “Yes,” he confirmed.
“Stay there!” Robin ordered quickly, stopping him in his tracks and backing him up. Then she was all smiles again. “I like it,” she said. “It… suits you.” She paused as if to consider something, although she actually knew exactly what she wanted from him. Very nicely she said, “What I want from you… is for you to use your sissy voice from now on whenever you’re with me. Forget that other silly voice you use completely. What do you call it, your girly voice?” Her face grew more stern – as did her voice. “Your sissy voice not only suits you, but it will serve as a constant reminder to me of just how childish you can be sometimes! And… since you still dress like a woman all the time, it will also keep me from making the mistake of thinking that you ever really wanted to be a woman at all! Got that?”
Chad was horrified. Use his sissy voice? Here at work? He didn’t think he could!
“I asked if you got that?” Robin asked angrily.
Frightened by her sudden angry demeanor, Chad quickly replied. “Yes!”
Robin looked at him. “Was that your sissy voice, or that other voice of yours?”
“My… sissy voice,” Chad replied, wanting more than ever to get out of the middle of the hallway now.
“I’m having a little trouble telling the difference.”
“There isn’t much difference with most words. It’s just certain letters I’m not allowed to pronounce.”
“Like what?”
“Mostly ‘R’s and ‘L’s.”
Robin nodded. “I see. I think. Come back here now,” she ordered.
Chad was very relieved to get out of the middle of the hallway. He wasn’t too sure about what was suddenly going on with Robin. Yesterday she had made him suck his thumb, now she wanted him to only use his sissy voice? What was going on?
“I’m going to be watching the way you talk from now on, just so there’s no mistake. And believe me, I will be watching you, especially since you’ve already shown me that you can’t be trusted.” She shook her head, dreading the realization of what she was about to say. “I guess you can consider our little arrangement here to be kind of like the one you have between you and Mel. When you’re here with me, you do whatever I say. When you’re back with Mel, well, you get the picture. Got it?”
Chad almost curtseyed, but he caught himself just in time. “Yes,” he replied simply.
“Are you sure?”
Chad nodded, “I’m sure,” he replied, carefully using his sissy voice.
Robin noted the odd pronunciation of the word “sure.” He hadn’t used the letter “R.” She nodded satisfied. “Good! Now get back to work and look over what Tom sent us. We’ll discuss it later – if and when I’m ready!”
Robin went back to her desk to open the email from Tom to review the project, but her thoughts weren’t on the new project, they were on what had just happened between Chad and herself. How odd. It wasn’t that she was really angry. Strangely enough, she really didn’t feel the anger anymore that she had been living with for the last few days. Instead, what she was feeling was more like… justification? She wasn’t really sure. But there was this odd sense of… power that she had felt over him too.
It was kind of an alien thing to her and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. It certainly wasn’t like anything she had felt in any other relationship she had ever had with anyone. When it came to relationships between a man and a woman, she had always expected the man to take the lead. It’s how she was brought up. But then, right now, it was difficult to think of Sissy as a man. Of course he was a man. But… But was he really? Gloria had said it was like a disease, but one that couldn’t be cured. But did that make him any less of a man? Once again, the image that had haunted her mind since she had first seen him last Saturday blurred her vision – the sight of him sitting like a messy baby in his highchair. It was very, very hard to think of the person in that chair as a man. And of course, that person was… Chad.
So maybe, she could do this – if she could continue to remember that he wasn’t a man… or at least, he didn’t deserve to be called a man – anymore. Yes! That was more it! It wasn’t that he wasn’t a man – underneath… it was more that he didn’t deserve to be considered a man anymore. So, she shouldn’t treat him like one. He was a baby. Well, maybe not. He was a... child? Not that either, not really. He was a… a sissy! It was the only word she could use to describe him. And Gloria had said that he craved and actually needed humiliation. Well, with a man… or even with another person… she couldn’t do the things she was about to embark on with him. It just wasn’t right! But here she was, getting ready to actually do the very things with him that she had protested in the first place. The very things that had made her sick! The idiot!
Now that she saw him more clearly… Now that she saw the entire situation more clearly… Only now, she could actually contemplate taking that ridiculous step toward lording over him. How ridiculous it sounded to her. It wasn’t her! It wasn’t anything like she would ever do or would ever think of doing. Yet here she was, she guessed, actually doing it. And, dare she admit it? There were certain… aspects… of it that actually felt good to her. She wasn’t really sure what they were or why, but she knew that there was something deep down that was actually pleased by what she was doing. Maybe… Maybe it was because… he deserved it! And he did! The idiot! Justification! She still couldn’t fathom why he would ever enter into something like the bet he had made with Mel in the first place. He must have been desperate indeed!
So now while she still felt a bit confused by it all, she also felt a bit of a sense of power, and of course there was also a feeling of satisfaction that he would be getting just what he deserved. And she realized one more thing dangling around in her jumble of new feelings. She felt a tiny bit of fear over it too. Was it right? Could she do this? Could she really? Once again she pictured him, a total mess in his highchair. Well, she was going to give it one damn good try!